The Village (Halls Of Residence At The University Of East Anglia in general)

Member Name: Robert Miller

Product:	Halls Of Residence At The University Of East Anglia in general
Date:	12/03/08 (302 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Cheap, ensuite, large kitchens, closest to Aldi and Tesco, exclusive laundrette

Disadvantages: Noise, heat, smallish rooms, distance from campus

The Village.
The Village offers an ensuite room, with a good sized kitchen. The rooms themselves are reasonably small, mainly due to the 'shower pod' detracting from their sizes, but large enough to be comfortable in. The shower pods are very handy, as you don't have to go out of your room to get to the shower and you don't have to share it. The pods are small wet-rooms, which is a cool concept and works very well - unless you want to go in with socks on after a shower. I have never had a problem with 'clingy' shower curtains either.
Each room comes with a large desk which has a pinboard and two large shelves above it. The desk provides plently of working space and has two drawers under it at one end, one small and one extremely large.
The storage space in the rooms is just about right, with a large underbed cupboard, and a wardrobe with large space above it. If you live in the 8 person flats you also get a small but deep cupboard at the end of the beds.
The beds themselves are rather hard compared to the other beds on the UEA campus, but everyone gets used to them!
The rooms seem to get very hot throughout the year, with the windows needing to be left open a lot - which can be a problem on the ground floor as this means the rooms can be - and have been - broken into.
Noise is another problem in quite a lot of the rooms, if you are on the road side then you get heavy traffic during rush hour, and ambulances going past on the only route into the city from the hospital.
If you are facing inwards you will experience loud noises from excited drunks returning home from nights out, usually at around 3 in the morning. Everyone does it at somepoint.
If you have your window shut however, the noises are minimal, as the walls are sufficiently thick, and the doors are well sealed - music can be played reasonably loud. Occasionally people above and below can be heard laughing loudly or slamming shower pod doors, but that is never a problem.
I recommend investing in some ear plugs if you plan to live here.
Each corrdor contains 6 or 8 people, and are perfect for sitting in and socialising.
The Village has its own exclusive laundrette, which is very close.
The kitchen has plently of space for 6 people to prepare food at the same time, although there is only one microwave/oven, four hobs and one grill - no proper oven at all. Appliances such as toasters and kettles are not provided either. Each person has their own cupboard in the kitchen, which is a reasonable size, and there are a further two very large cupboards and space above them all.
There is plenty of fridge and freezer space, but there can be a bit of a squeeze between 8 after a large shop.
The distance from the campus is fine, I have been in a lecture 10 minutes after waking up - but on average it take 10 - 15 minutes to walk at a slow comfortable pace. The walk feels secure, even at night, as nearly all of it is through the campus and along the university driveway, which is all lit and covered by security cameras.
The distance however does put people off coming back for after-parties after club nights, and discourage visitors, but if they really want to come, they will.
There is also a secure bike storage facility at the village and on campus.
Security at the Village is very good, a few items have been stolen from the rooms when they have been left unlocked or the windows on the lower floors left open - but all items are covered by insurance included in the room price, even if rooms are unlocked.
We have had an issue with chavs, who threw a large lump of stone through an open window, they had been throwing a ball at windows, and we had challenged and then taunted them from the window, which had perhaps been a mistake. Security turned up a couple of minutes after it started.
Security also turn up to stop very loud parties, although I am not sure this is because they have been phoned by other residents or if its the strange-looking cameras which Im sure can hear you!
As with all the acommadation at the UEA, the village kitchens are cleaned twice a week, the shower pods cleaned once a week, and the bins in the rooms emptied daily. This daily emptying of bins can be a bit intrusive, but you come to expect it, and its never too early.
Much to some residents dissapointment the cleaners DO NOT wash up for you, and DO NOT clean or hoover your rooms!

This review is not meant to be negative, but to tell you what to expect - I have never regretted choosing to live in the Village!

Summary: If you want ensuite but don't want to pay too much go for the village!